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The Other Side: Berlin review
:. Starring: Ellen Allien
:. Running Time: 2:20
:. Year: 2007
:. Country: Germany
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Presented by Time Out Magazine, this CD/DVD package is part of an innovative series, where handpicked local artists are chosen to serve as musical and visual tour guides for their hometown.
While the CDs feature series of songs that are either attached to these cities or are a popular on the local club scenes, the DVDs officiate as the actual guides, following the artists as they make us discover "their" city, rather than going for a touristy approach. Also included is a booklet featuring addresses of bars, restaurants, clubs, art galleries and shops as well as well as a map of the metro.
For the Berlin installment, Time Out picked Ellen Allien, a musician, DJ and founder of electronic music label Bpitch Control Records. If you're familiar with the current German music scene, you won't be surprised to hear that most tracks here are of the techo/electro variety, except for the opener, David Bowie's German version of "Heroes". The rest of the CD is filled with fixtures of the electronic music scene, from Miss Kittin to Carl Craig and Terranova; and don't worry, David — he's a big music star in Germany — Hasselhof is nowhere to be found on this compilation.
The DVD starts with Ellen Allien's Other Side, a long chapter where she introduces us her favorite hang-outs, which includes various places such as an empty fashion store, a lingerie shop, a massage parlor, restaurants, music stores and clubs. Other chapters give us a more general look at the city, from accommodations to sightseeing, shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Of course everything is covered from the youth angle, always accompanied by an electronic soundtrack.
If you're in your 20's or 30's, enjoy traveling, shopping and nightlife, this Time Out Magazine series is for you, avoiding tourist traps to give you a good glimpse at things you might actually like. Seeing this entry about Berlin, makes me want to see the Other Side of other cities, proving the success of this original travel guide concept.
Fred Thom
 Movie Reviews: from 1998 to 2011
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